


Checkmate

by VisionaryGalaxy



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [167]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Chess, Don't copy to another site, Falling In Love, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-Slash, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-19 00:36:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19345948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VisionaryGalaxy/pseuds/VisionaryGalaxy
Summary: A park, a chess set, and a different first meeting.





	Checkmate

   Tony moved swiftly through the crowded New York streets. He kept his head down and hands deep in his pockets, intent on being as unobtrusive as possible while shouldering his way past the masses. His disguise, made up of a dark ball cap and a high collared jacket, was not the most thought out but he’d needed to escape from the office, and it was all he had on hand.

   His phone vibrated in his pocket making Tony curse quietly, ignoring the looks of passerby’s as he tugged it out and turned it off with a flick of a finger. Pepper wouldn’t start to worry for another forty minutes at least and by then Tony was sure he’d be able to breathe properly again.

   Without much thought, Tony turned sharply left just as the crosswalk sign flashed and followed the people onto another busy sidewalk. He let out a huff, hating the squeezing in his chest as people continued to jostle by him. Glancing at his surroundings, Tony realized he was barely a block from a park and on a day like today, cloudy and just a bit chilly it would probably be sparsely populated.

   Tony increased the pace, muttering apologies on occasion until finally green came into view. Ducking between the trees that created a loose barrier from the chaos of the city he let out a sigh of relief, tension bleeding away as he took in the empty grounds.

   He could breathe here.

   Leaning back against a tree, Tony let his eyes fall shut as he worked to steady himself. The meeting had been going shockingly well, all things considered. Obadiah wasn’t pleased but then, that might be because he knew Tony was close to booting him from the company. The shareholders at least, were receptive to his ideas.

   Of course, it didn’t stay that way. Obadiah began his spiel on why phasing out their defense contracts would be disastrous and after thirty minutes of listening to his old family friend talk about money and contacts without a care for all the information Tony had brought back from his kidnapping, he’d snapped.

   Luckily Pepper was as brilliant as ever. She called a break and they would continue in a couple hours. It didn’t change the fact that his words brought explosions to his eyes and phantom pains in his chest. If Tony wanted to change the company, he couldn’t show weakness, not now.

   Thus, this escapade.

   The fresh air, or as fresh as New York can be, was already helping and soon enough Tony straightened his shoulders and began walking again. One quick circuit of the park and then he’d go back and figure out his presentation with Pepper.

   Tony moved slowly, intent on taking his time and enjoying the lack of crowds. It was strange but he’d noticed that he now had a new affinity for grass and trees and all things green since returning from Afghanistan, yet he hadn’t come to this park once since then.

   It was…oddly serene.

   The thick trees created a bit of a grove and a sound barrier to the hustle and bustle of the city beyond. While the area was nothing special, simply a field of grass, just ahead tucked a little away from that there appeared to be concrete tables and stools. Four of them perfectly spaced and with something familiar sitting on top.

   As Tony drew closer, he realised it was chess sets. Uh, it seemed like an odd place for them. Two of the tables were occupied, one with two elderly gentlemen who seemed to be talking more then playing and the other…a man seemingly playing by himself.

   Tony was curious by nature and when he was a few paces away he felt it spring up inside him with the strength of a tide. The man wasn’t old like he expected to find. No, he didn’t seem to be all that much younger than Tony himself. More importantly, however, he was attractive.

   He was wearing a royal blue belstaff coat, wrapped snuggly around him while a slick pair of black shoes tapped softly against the concrete pad beneath the table. The man himself was staring down at the arrangement of pieces with a steady concentration, broken only by the black rook he was twirling over and over in long elegant fingers. Tony found himself drifting closer, unable to help himself, and realised that his hair had streaks of grey on the sides that was at complete odds with his supposed age.

   All in all, Tony found this tall, lean man breathtaking.

   If he had happened upon this man a month earlier, Tony wouldn’t have hesitated to sit on the empty little stool and strike up a conversation about the intricacies of chess with the single-minded goal of getting him in bed.

   Now, with an ache in his chest, acting as an ever-present reminder, Tony found himself thinking of all the ways something so simple might go wrong. He was in the process of re-inventing the company, moving their focus from destruction to sustainable energy. The only way it would work, was if he had the board and even the public on his side, had them believing he’d changed.

   Being caught chatting up a beautiful stranger in a park wouldn’t bode well for that image. Tony could already imagine the headlines accusing him of going back to his playboy ways or possibly something even more nefarious. After all, the recovery of Tony Stark post of Afghanistan didn’t make money like his innumerable conquests and dramatic spending.

   Yet, Tony found himself intrigued.

   The maneuvers the man was employing were complex. It was obvious he knew what he was doing and that he was capable of focusing all his attention on one side at a time in order to make a proper game of it.

   Tony had never liked chess. The strategies could be amusing and had offered a brief distraction when he was a child, but he quickly found himself bored. The few times Tony had managed to find someone to play against him had proven to be useless when it became obvious, he was lightyears ahead of their skill. The perks of being a genius.

   This man, however, looked as though he’d actually be able to keep up.

   Tony glanced around the small park once more. Even the few people that had been strolling around the peripheral had retreated in the wake of the darkening clouds and it was all but abandoned. The chances of the press swarming him in this small idyllic park were slim verging on non-existent.

   His eyes strayed toward the man again, who was leaning forward with a small smile and moving a white rook into a position that would inevitably end in checkmate. Suddenly, Tony found his feet moving without his permission, paranoid that he would leave now that his game was done.

   The moment Tony came to a stop next to the small table the man’s eyes flickered up at him and his smile vanished. Not the reaction he usually inspired in people, but it had never stopped him before. Tony offered an easy grin of his own, “hello, I was wondering if you’d like to play another round?”

   Not his best though Tony certainly wasn’t feeling at his best today.

   Stormy blue eyes assessed him, and Tony knew he was staring but he couldn’t help it. They were beautiful, a kaleidoscope of colour that should probably seem cold and yet were practically vibrating with amusement.

   “What would Tony Stark want to play a game of chess for?”

   Tony swore his knees went a little weak at the sound of that deep baritone. The words registered a moment after the vibration and Tony was already considering retreating because of course he’d know who he was, and this was a really stupid idea-

   “Sit down before you have a panic attack,” the man sighed. “I’m off duty and not in the mood to deal with any emergencies today.”

   To Tony’s own surprise, he sat automatically, heart slowing at the man’s causal annoyance, “off duty?”

   “I’m a doctor. Surgeon.”

   Uh.

   The man was already rearranging the pieces back into their start positions, not looking at him as he did so. Tony felt strangely off kilter at the way the man had seized control of the situation when that was usually his own role in any interaction. It was kind of nice.

   “Might I know your name since you know mine?”

   A smirk appeared on his lips, “I think almost everyone knows your name. That doesn’t mean you’re entitled to know mine.”

   Tony tapped his fingers against the edge of the board before reaching forward to move his first white pawn, “how about this. I win this game and you give me your name?”

   The man raised an eyebrow, “and what will you do with my name?”

   “Who knows. Maybe if you play well-enough, I’d be willing to do this again.”

   He chuckled, “you know, if you were saying this to me a few weeks ago I’d tell you to fuck off.”

   Tony grimaced, watching him make his next move, “is this a pity game then?”

   He snorted, “I don’t do pity. I’m sure the kidnapping was harrowing Mr. Stark but it prompted you to make that announcement about your company. Let’s just say, as a doctor, I’m much more in favour or renewable energy as opposed to the extinguishing of human lives.”

   Tony didn’t have to think about his next move very hard, using the subsequent moment to stare at his companion. It was nice not to be treated differently since the kidnapping for once, though Tony suspected it was in part because of the undertone of contempt when he spoke about his company.

   That was fair. That was the perception he was trying to change. Tony cared now too and the fact that this man was willing to sit across from him because he obviously believed the press conference he gave, filled him with an inexplicable hope.

   It was exactly what he needed after his shitty morning.

   “Tony.”

   The blue eyes blinked up at him.

   “Only my employees call me Mr. Stark. Tony is fine.”

   That smirk came back in full force, “ah not an employee and not a stranger…what am I?”

   “A friend.”

   “We’ve only just met.”

   Tony grinned, “I have a good feeling about it.”

   The man shook his head and from there things moved swiftly. Most of Tony’s attention remained glued to blue eyes and deep baritone, confident in his ability to keep up with the rapid pace of the game and winning his prize.

   After nearly fifty minutes the wind picked up and Tony eyed the darkening clouds that would certainly promise rain. The game was drawing to a close, Tony having cornered the black queen, confident that once she was removed the king would closely follow.

   It was still fun. He’d been right that the man would offer a challenge.

   “Checkmate.”

   Tony jerked, startled by the declaration. He stared down at the arrangement of pieces and felt an indigent sort of awe at the pawn of all things, the man had snuck past his defenses.

   “You might be a genius Stark, but it seems you are out of practice.”

   Tony opened his mouth only to find himself speechless, staring at the pieces again and trying to make sense of how that possibly could have happened. The man himself stood in one smooth move, his height towering over him.

   He chuckled lowly, “here.”

   An umbrella was extended out to him and Tony took it unthinkingly, “why-”

   “Its about to start raining and you said you walked here,” A pause in which those stormy eyes assessed him, followed quickly by what Tony considered to be his signature smirk. “You can return it to me on Friday and you can try to redeem yourself.”

   He turned to walk away, and Tony’s head was still reeling when he paused, head turned to look back at him over his shoulder, “the name’s Stephen by the way.”

   He left with long strides, disappearing between a gap in the trees, leaving Tony there alone.

   For several long moments Tony just sat there before a laugh managed to break free from his chest, just as the first raindrops began sprinkling down upon him. He picked up the umbrella and instead of going straight to the tower, found himself checking his phone to find the nearest game store.

   Tony was determined not to be beat again and already had his next prize chosen.


End file.
